After looking at this adorable gray seal pup you may be surprised to learn that its Latin name translates to hooked-nose sea pig (or piglet, in this pup"s case). Over 110,000 gray seals, more than 35% of the world"s population, make their home in and around the coastal waters of the British Isles. As autumn approaches, pupping season begins, and fuzzy pups—like the one photographed here—can be spotted on the coasts and beaches of the eastern Atlantic. About a month after the seal pups are born, they"re abruptly weaned when their mothers return to the sea to hunt for food and find a new mate. The older pups then congregate for protection in groups called weaner pods. Within weeks they shed their thick pup fur and take to the sea to learn how to catch their own fish.
It s only Wednesday
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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A cutting-edge art gallery opens in Paris
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Feature Attraction: 85 years at the drive-in
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The Kelpies statues in Falkirk, Scotland
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I see one!
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Bird s-eye view on World Environment Day
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Astronomy Day
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It s ∞ Day!
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Let s get lost
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Seonam Temple, South Korea
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St. James Tidal Pool, Cape Town, South Africa
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World Art Day
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Native American Heritage Day
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Cappadocia, Türkiye
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A stroll above the stratosphere
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Not your average sandcastle
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Maloja, Switzerland
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Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic National Park, Washington
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Golden larches and Prusik Peak, the Enchantments, Washington
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Celestial Spain
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Via Krupp, Capri, Italy
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Sailing on thick ice
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Happy Boxing Day!
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Bridge of Hillsborough County
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Indigenous Peoples Day
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New Year’s Day in the land of the rising sun
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Life goes on at the Beatles Ashram
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Arctic fox in Norway
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The dancing trees of Sumba Island
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A hermitage with a view
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Go with the rainbow flow